Method of and machine for feeding articles



March 25, 1941. R. D. EASTON METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES June 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1941. R. D. EAsToN 2,236,336

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METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES Filed June 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 25,1941

PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR, FEEDING ARTICLES 'Robert D. Easton, "Chicago, 111.; assignor to R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company, Chicago, 111., a cor poration of Illinois Application June27, 1940, Serial No. 342,779 21 Claims. (Cl.270-' -58) My invention relates generally to the delivery of articles from one location to another, and involving the stacking of the articles, more particularly, flexible articles, such as for example flexible-cover books, as in the case of magazines,

etc. and especially during the continuous feeding thereof in their course of manufacture.

The invention was devised for use more particularly in connection with the feeding of articles from one mechanismoperating to perform certain work on the articles, such as for example a book-stapling mechanism, having a capacity for rapid output, to another mechanism for performing otherwork on the articles, such as for example book trimming and/ or cutting mechanism, inherently operatingmuch slower than the first referred to mechanism, as ischaracteristic of book trimming and/or cutting mechanism of the reciprocatory type and embodying means for severing into individual books, double books fed thereto and trimming edges of the booksa type of mechanism recognized as the most desirable to be used because of. the superior work produced thereby.

As will be apparent, any automatically operating means for feeding the articles from one mechanism to the other in a continuous succession of single articles must .be operated to deliver the articles to the second mechanism at a rate not in excess of the adaptability of such mechanism to perform its intended work thereon, and thus being much slower in operation than in the case of the first-referred-to mechanism, the

operation of the machine comprising such mech anism is objectionably slow resulting in a slow rate of production.

My object generally stated, is to overcome the above-referred-to objections to prior machines to the end of greatly increasing the output of 4 the machines-limiting them, in the rate ofproduction, only by the speed at which the mech-- anism first to operate on the articles, performs its work.

One of my more specific objects is to provide a feed mechanism by which the articles fed in succession thereby are caused to become stacked tion, as for example and more particularly, an

arrangement in which each alternate article is stacked upon the next succeeding article.

Another of mymore specific objects is to pro-.

vide a simple and efficient construction of'stack ing mechanism. Other more specific objects will be manifest from the following description: Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a machine involving my invention and comprising book 5 stitching mechanism, lbook trimming and cutting mechanism and intermediate feeding mechanism for feeding the stapled books to the trimming and cutting mechanism.

Figure 2 is likewise is a view in elevation of 10 the machine of Fig. 1 viewing the machine from the left-hand side of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in sectional elevation of the machine, the section being taken at the line 3 on Fig. G'and viewed in the direction 15 of the arrow.-

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at. the line 4 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken 20 at the line 5 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion-of the machine shown in Fig. 3, with the table, forming a part of the machine, omitted. 25 Figure 7 isa sectional view of the machine, the-section being taken at the line I on Fig. 3 and, viewed in the direction of the arrow. I

Figure 8 is an. enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the machine, the section being taken at 30 the line 8 on Fig. 6 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, this view illustrating the position of thejparts of the stacking mechanism upon initiating the movement of one of the books for stacking it-upon the next, succeeding book. 35

Figure 9 is a similar view of certain of the parts of the mechanism of Fig, 8, this view illustrating the initial delivery of the book of Fig. 8 to superposedposition on the succeeding book beneath tian Figure 10,- a; fragmentary view, in elevation, of a portion of the. mechanism of Fig. 8, the mechanism being viewed from the right in Fig. 8.

The machine .shown comprises, generally stated, book-stit.ching mechanism represented at 45 20; mechanism represented at 2| for receiving the stitched books and feeding them in succession to a certain point at which each alternate book is caused to-be stacked by stacking mechanism'r'epresented generally at 22, on the next, 50'

succeeding book, from which point the books, in such stacked condition, continue to be fed, and book trimming and cutting mechanism represented 'a-t 23 towhi'ch the stacked books are fed by the mechanismll The books are composed usually of signatures customarily assembled, preliminary to being fed to the stitching mechanism, into the sequence desired in the finished book, as by means of a signature-gathering machine (not shown) from which the grouped signatures, represented at 24, are conveyed by means of a continuously operating endless conveyor supported on the frame 26 of the machine and driven through the medium of a shaft 21 operated in any desirable way in the desired timed relation to the operation of the stitching mechanism.

The book-stitching mechanism shown is of well known construction and embodies the general features of construction disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,351,231, granted August 31, 1920, and No. 1,879,040, granted September 2'7, 1932, and therefore a general descrip tion thereof Will suflice.

The stitching mechanism 26 comprises an inverted V-shaped support 28 in the form of a bar, to and along which the grouped folded sheets 24 (the signatures) which are to form the books 29 and which straddle the bar 28, are fed (Fig. 3) by the endless conveyor 25; supplemented by feeder means (not shown) located behind the bar 28 which operate intermittently to advance the assembled signatures 24, fed by the conveyor 25, first to a position to be operated on by the staple-applying mechanism of the stitching mechanism 26 (this position being shown in full lines in Fig. 1) and following the stitching opera tion, to the feeding mechanism 2|.

It may here be stated that each of the particular books shown constitutes in reality two complete books when finished, being printed in double-book form and in such condition fed to: the trimming and cutting mechanism 23 wherein the double books are cut in half transversely to produce the desired single books and edges thereof trimmed.

The stitching mechanism 20 as shown is so constructed as to apply four staples through the fold of the assembled double-book signatures, each finished book being secured together by two staples.

The stitching mechanism to this end has four spaced apart vertically movable stapling heads 36 fed with staple-forming wire (not shown) through guides 3|, from the several reels 32 thereof and operated as shown and described in said Letters Patent, to drive the staples through the fold at the back edges of the assembled signatures while the latter are at rest on the bar 28, following which operation the above referred to intermittently operating feed means of the stitching mechanism advances the stapled books 29 to the conveying mechanism 2|; it being understood that the stapling heads 30 are operated in alternation with the above referred to intermittently operating feed means by which the books are fed to and beyond the stapling heads.

The feed mechanism 2| comprises an upper endless belt conveyor formed of a plurality of belts 33 arranged side by side in spaced apart relation and a lower endless belt conveyor comprising a plurality of similar belts 34 similarly spaced apart and in vertical alinement with the belts 33.

The belts 33 are shown as trained over an end roll 35 journaled in the frame 230. of the trimmer mechanism 23 and a series of end rollers 36 rigidly connected with a shaft 31 journaled at its journaled in the frame 26; and belt-tightening:

rollers 38 journaled in brackets 46 pivoted on a cross bar 4| stationary on the frame 26, the rollers 39 being pressed against the belts 33 by springs 42 connected with the brackets and with arms 43 stationary on the cross bar 4|.

The belts 34 are shown as trained over a series of end rollers 44 rigid on a shaft 45 journaled at its ends in the frame 230. and over the roll 38 and intermediate rolls 46 and 41 journaled in the frame 26; and are engaged by belt-tightening rollers 48 journaled in brackets 49 pivoted on a cross bar 50 stationary on the frame 23a, and

pressed against the belts 34 by springs 5| connected with the brackets 49 and with arms 52 rigid on the cross bar 56.

The belts 33 thus extend in flatwise contact with the opposed belts 34 at and between the rolls 35 and 38 but are slightly spaced apart between'the roll 41 and the rollers 36 adjacent to which the stapled books 28 are fed into the bite between the belts 33 and 34, as hereinafter described, these belts being driven in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3.

The drive for the conveyor belts 33 and 34 comprises a shaft 53 journaled in the frame 23a and continuously driven by any suitable power device, as for example a motor (not shown); a shaft 54 journaled on a base 300 and connected with the shaft 53 by intermeshing gears 55 and 56 on these shafts; a shaft 51 journaled on the frame 26 and connected with the shaft 54 by a sprocket chain 58 trained over sprockets 59 and 66 and meshing with a chain-tightening sprocket 6| adjustably supported on the frame 26; a sprocket chain 62 trained about a sprocket 63 on the shaft 51, a sprocket 64 on the shaft 65 of the roll 41 and about a sprocket 66 on a shaft 67 journaled in the frame 26, the chain 62 meshing with a chain-tightening sprocket 68 vertically adjustable on the frame 26; and intermeshing gears 69 and I6 (Fig. 6) on the shafts 65 and 31, respectively; whereby the rollers 36 are driven by the roll'65, but in the opposite direction.

As customary, the machine is provided with means, operating in timed relation to the movement of the books along the bar 28 from the stitching mechanism 20, for feeding the stapled books; to the conveyor belts. 33 and 34, these means comprising a vertically movable pusherbar 1| (Fig. 3) at the underside of the bar 28 and operating through a slot 12 in this bar. When the bar II is raised from the position shown in Fig. 3 it engages the inside of the book at its fold and forces it into the bite between the conveyor belts 33 and 34 for feeding the book to the stacking mechanism 22.

Co-operating with the feed mechanism 2| is the stacking mechanism referred to and represented at 22, this mechanism, which is located directly above the belts 34, comprising rollers 14 rigidly secured to a shaft 15 journaled at its ends in apair of horizontally spaced spider frames 16 secured to av shaft TI to one sideof the shaft '15 and rockably mounted at its ends in the frame 23a.

Grouped about the rollers 14 and their supporting shaft 15 are three shafts 18,.19 and 80 parallel to each other and to the shaft 75, the shafts I8, 19, and 80 being rotatably mounted at their ends in the spider-frames 16 and carrying series of rollers 8|, 82. and 83, respectively.

Trained about the rollers 14, except across the lower portions thereof, and over the rollers 8|, 82 and 83v are parallel endless conveyor belts 84, held intbedesired taut condition against the periphthe cams I I9 is provided'for each deflector device.

eral surfaces of the rollers 14 by belt-tightening rollers 85 journaled. in brackets 86 pivoted on the shaft 11 and'pressed against the belts .84 by springs 81 connected with the brackets 88 and with arms 88 rigid on the shaft 11.

' The structure comprising the'spider-frames 16 and the parts carried thereby, and the'shaft 15, brackets 86 and arms 88, is thus rotatably mounted at one side of 'the main frame 23a adapting this structure to be swun'g about'the axis of the shaft 11 into and out of the position shown in the drawings, in which position it rests on the main frame 23a at adjustable stops carried by the spider frames, one of these stops being shown at 89 (Fig. 2), adapting the structure're- 'ferred to to be adjusted to different heights for accommodating books of different thicknesses.

' The rollers 14 are positively driven in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8 by mechanism driven from the shaft 53 and comprising a shaft 90 journaled at its ends in the frame 23a and having sprocket-chain connection 9| with the shaft 53; a gear 92 on the shaft 90 disposed between, and meshing with, gears 93. and 94 onthe shafts 95 and 96, respectively, journaled in theframe 23a, a sprocket chain 91 trained about sprockets 98 and 99 on the shaft 95 and on a stub shaft I00 journaled at its ends in brackets on the frame 23a at one side of the machine,'respectively; sprocketchains IOI trained about sprockets (not shown) on the shaft I00 and on' a similarly mounted stub shaft (not shown) at the other side of the machine and alined with the shaft I00, respectively, and over sprockets I02 fixed to a shaft I03 journaled at its ends in the frame 23a, respectively, the chains IOI thus operating in unison; a sprocket-chain I04 (Fig. 6) trained about a sprocket I05 on the shaft I03 and a sprocket I08 secured to a stub-shaft I01 journaled in the frame 23a; and gears I08 and I09 on the stub-shaft I01 and the shaft 15, respectively.

It may here be stated that the stacking mechanism in so far as it has been above described, operates, in the rotation of the rollers 14 to receive the book to be superposed on the next, succeeding book and carry it, by engagement of the belts 84 therewith, around these rollers to a position in which it is deposited on such succeeding book with its front edge in substantial alinement with the front edge of the book beneath it as represented in Fig. 9.

The stacking mechanism 22 also comprises means for upwardly deflecting into the bite IIO between the belts 84 and the rollers 14 the forward (folded) edges of those of the books which are to be superposed on books beneath them; these means comprising three spaced-apart bookdeflector devices III ext-ending beneath the rollers 14 and in registration with the spaces between certain of the belts 34.

Each of the deflector devices II I comprises a yoke portion I I2 having an upward extension I I3 provided with rollers II4 which serve as the'deflector portion for the books; a depending stem portion II5 which slides in an opening in a bracket II8 rigidly secured to the cross-bar a coil spring II1 interposed between the bracket H6 and yoke II2 yieldingly urging the deflector device III upwardly to book-deflecting position; a block I I8 on which the yoke H2 is slidable and through which the shaft I03 extends and in which it is rotatable; and a cam I I9 having a peripheral cam-surface I20 against which a roller I2I carried by the yoke I I2 be'ars'under the action I. of the spring I I'!;. it being understood that one of,

The cam surfaces I20 01' the cams II9 are of the same shape and size and similarly positioned axially about the shaft I03, the low portion of the one of the cams shown in Fig. 8 being represented at I22, and shown as in engagement with the one of the rollers I2I cooperating therewith, in which position of the cams II9 the several deflector devices I I I are in the uppermost, book-deflecting position.

The arrangement of the parts is such that upon the movement of each alternate book being conveyed by the belts 33 and 34, to a position beneath the rollers 14, the deflector devices III move upwardly to book-deflecting position (Fig. 8) and guide such books into the bite IIO between the rollers 14 and the belts 84, thereafter descending into a position in which they do not interfere with the straight-way travel of the stacks of books from the stacking mechanism to the cutting and trimming mechanism 23.

It may here be stated that where the speed at which the rollers 14 are driven produces a peripheral speed thereof equal to the speed of travel of the conveyor belts 33 and 34, and which is a condition desired to produce work of the best quality, the rollers 14 should be of a circumference equal to the distance between the back, folded edges I23 of adjacent books in their travel along the conveyor belts 33 and 34 to the stacking mechanism 22.

The machine also comprises a table top or bed I24 which extends from a point within the cutting and trimming mechanism 23 to a point ad jacent the rollers 14, this top being longitudinally slotted to receive the upper reaches of the sprocket-chains 91 and IOI. Thus the stacks of books 29 are driven by the rollers 14 and the belts 34 below the latter to the table top 124 into a position in which they extend across the sprocket-chains I0 I,- which are provided at intervals with outwardly extending pusher lugs I25, spaced apart along the chains IOI a distance greater than the widest books to be operated on by the machine, viz., from the folded, back edges I23 thereof to the opposite free (front) edges thereof,

In the operation of the machine each stack of books is conveyed from the stacking mechanism 22 to the table top I24 into a position between two adjacent ones of the lugs I25 on the chains IOI the rear one of these lugs engaging the right-hand edge of the stack of books in front of it,'and conveying the stack along the table top toward the cutting and trimming mechanism 23.

The conveying chains deliver the stacks of books into position to be engaged, and conveyed further, by additional conveyor (pusher) means forming a part of the conveying mechanism 2|, of which the following is a description:

Located at opposite sides of the medial line of the machine and in certain of the spaces between the sprocket-chains IOI are parallel bars I26 grooved on their inner vertical surfaces as illustrated of one of the bars at I21, and slidable lengthwise in the grooves I21 and held therein against lateral displacement are slide-bars I28 each having book-engaging lugs I29 and I30 extending upwardly therefrom and through elongated slots in the table top I24 and spaced apart lengthwise of the machine substantially the same distance as the lugs I29 on the chains I M the lugs I29 and I 30 being shown as formed of interconnected angle members I3I and I32 secured to the bar I28;

As shown of one of the bars I25, each is pivotally connected at I33, adjacent its front end, with the outer end of the laterally extending arm I34 of a bell crank lever I35 ful'crumedl at its angle on the frame 28a of the machine, and adjacent its rear end, as represented at I36, to the similarly positioned arm I31 of another bellcrank lever I58 fulcrumed at its angle on the frame of the machine, the depending arms I39 and I40 of these bell cranks being connected together by a link l4I pivoted thereto at its ends as represented at I42 and I43, whereby each bar I26, together with its bar I21, may be raised and lowered while maintaining it horizontal.

as a shaft I44 journaled in the frame 23a, the shaft I44 connecting together the bell cranks I35 for the two bars I26; and the fulcrums for the bell cranks I38 are shown as in the form of stub shafts I45 supported on brackets carried by the frame 23a. As the shaft I44 is connected with the bell cranks I35 the bars I26 are constrained to move up and down as a unit.

Pivotally connected at I46 with the arm I34 of one of the bell cranks I35 is an actuating rod I41 which straddles the shaft 95 at a yoke I41a on this rod carrying a roller I48 bearing downwardly at all times against the periphery of a peripheral cam I49 secured to the shaft 95. Thus during the rotation of the shaft 95 the rod I41 and thus the bars I26 and I21 are caused to move up and down.

The bars I28 are reciprocated in the bars I26 by means of a rock lever I50 fulcrumed near its lower end, as represented at II, on the frame 230, and connected to the bars I28 by links I52 pivotally connected with the upper end of the lever I50 and to the bars I28 as represented at I53 and I54, respectively.

The lever I50, between its ends, is pivotally connected at I55 with the strap-member I56 of an eccentric the eccentric disk portion of which, connected with the shaft 95, is represented at I51.

The arrangement of the cam I49 and eccentric for the lever I50, is such, as shown, that the bars I26 and I28 are first started on their upward movement to raise the lugs I29 and I30 and then the bars I28 are moved to the left in Fig. 3 with their lugs I29 and I30 in engagement with successive stacks of books to accelerate the speed of movement of the latter, moving these stacks to position, respectively, for trimming the front edges of the books and cutting the two double books into four Single books and trimming edges thereof; the parts of the machine being shown in the drawings in a position in which the bars I26 and I28 are about to be raised.

The cutting and trimming mechanism 23 which merely represents an example of such a mechanism, is of well known construction necessitating a brief description only thereof.

Generally it comprises a vertically movable head I58 carrying cutter knives I59, I60 and I6I supported on the head to slide lengthwise of the machine and slidable thereon, as by pivotally connecting them, at I62, to links I63, journaled on a stationary cross bar I64. Thus the knives are reciprocated lengthwise in the vertical reterminal edges of the books, leaving a remaining" crosswise-extending edge on each of two of the books at the knife I60 to be trimmed later in another machine in accordance with common practice.

To the rear of the knives I59, I60 and I6l is a trimmer knife I65 extending crosswise of the machine and supported on the head I58 to be reciprocated thereon, as for example by means as described of the knives I59I6I, which operates to trim the front (free) edges of the several books, a Dresser member I66 carried by the head I58 being provided in front of the knife I65 for firmly holding the books against slipping during the operation of this knife. The fulcrum for the bell crank I35 is shown The head I58 is shown as operated to lower and effect the cutting and trimming of the books as stated while the books are at rest below it by connecting rods I61 pivotally connected with the head I58 and to crank-pins (not shown) on the shafts 95 and 96.

In order that the stacks of books will be properly positioned to be operated on by the knives referred to, two sets of stops are provided. One set is composed of two similar stops spaced apart crosswise of the machine to extend, when raised, into thepath of movement of the stacks of books, one such stop being shown at I68, for positioning the books beneath the knives I59-I6I and operating through openings in the table top I24, each stop I68 being provided on a bar, the bar for the stop shown being represented at I69.

The bars I69 are pivotally connected at spaced apart points with parallel links, the links for the bar shown being represented at I and HI and their points of pivotal connection with the bar I69 at I12 and I13. The links I10 are connected with a rock shaft I14 journaled on the frame 26 and the links I1I with rock shafts journaled on stationary brackets on the frame, the rock shaft and bracket for the link shown being represented at I and I16, respectively. Thus when the rock shaft I 14 is rocked both stops I68 move up or down simultaneously depending on the direction in which this shaft is rocked.

The stop bars I69 are operated by an actuating rod I11 which straddles the shaft 95 at a yoke I18 in this rod, the yoke carrying a roller I19 bearing downwardly at all times against the periphery of a peripheral cam I80 secured to the shaft 95, the cam surface of this cam being of the same shape as the cam surface of cam I49 butin a slightly different angular position about the shaft 95 to compensate for the slight convergence of the rods I11 and I96 and cause the cam surfaces of these cams to bear the same relation to their co-operating rollers I 98 and I19, thereby causing the stops I68 and I8I to move in unison. Thus during the rotation of the shaft 95 the rod I11 and thus the stop bars I69 are caused to move up and down.

The set of stops above referred to for positioning the stacks of books beneath the knife I65 (each stack at this point comprising two single books as the original stacks were cut in two in the mechanism 23) is composed of four similar stops spaced apart crosswise of the machine to extend, when raised, into the path of movement of the stacks of single books, one such stop being shown at I8I, each stop I8I being provided on a bar, the bar for the stop shown being represented at I82.

The bars I82 are pivotally connected at spaced apart points with parallel links, the links for the bar shown being represented at I83 and I84 and their" pomts' 0'1 51760911 connection with the bar 7 I82 at I'and I86. Thellflks I83 arec'onnected with a rock shaft I81 journaled on stationary brackets on the frame 23a, one of which is shown at I88, and the links I84 'with a rock shaft l89 journaled on the brackets I88, the links I 83'and I being adjustable along the rock shafts I81 and I89 to accommodate books of different lengths. Thus when the rock shaft I81 is rocked all of the stops I 8| move up or down simultaneously depending on the direction in whichthis.

shaft is rocked. 1

The stop bars I82 are actuated by mechanism comprising an arm I90 rigid on the rock shaft I81; a link I9I pivotally connected at its ends .to the arm I90 and to an arm I92 rigid ona rock shaft I93 journaled on the frame 26; and'an arm I94 rigid on the shaft I93 and pivotally connected at I95 with the upper end of an actuating rod I96 which straddles the shaft 96 at a yoke 20' I91 on this rod and carrying a roller I98 bearing downwardly at all times againstthe periphery of a peripheral cam I 99 secured to the shaft 96, the cam surface of this cam being of the same shape as the cam surfaces of cams I49 and I80. Thus during the rotation of the shaft, the rod I96 and thus the stop bars I82 are caused to move up and down.

Located beyond the knife I65 are conveyor means for. conveying away the stacks of books out and trimmed by the mechanism 23, these means comprising a lower endless conveyor formed of a plurality of endless belts, one of which is rep-v resented at 200, located side by side in spaced relation and supported at their ends on rolls, one of which, shown at 20I, is fixed on a shaft 202 driven, through a sprocket chain 203, by the shaft 96.

The means referred to also comprise an upper endless conveyor formed of a plurality ofbelts one of which is represented at204, located side by side and in line with the'belts 200 beneath them. The belts 204 are trained about. rollers 205 and 206, the rollers 205 being fixed on a shaft 201 journaled in the frame 23a and continuously rapidly driven in any suitable way, and the rollers 206 being rotatable on the rock shaft I93. Arms fixed on the rock shaft I 93, one of these arms being shown at208, carry rollers journaled thereon, one being shown at 209, which, after the knife I65 rises and during the lowering of the stop-bars I 82 to remove the stops I8I from the path of movement of the books (Fig. 3) press down against the stack of books beneath them in combination with the belts 200effect feeding of the book to a position between the conveyor belts 200 and 204 which continue the feeding of the books. In the rising of the stop-bars I82 the rollers 209 rise to a position permitting astack of books to freely enter between them and the conveyor belts 200.

In the operation of the machine the grouped signatures, staples by the mechanism 20, are in-' termittently moved along the supporting bar 28 to the pusher means II which elevate the stapled double books '29 to the conveyor belts 33 and 34 by which the double books positioned singly, in

succession, on the belts 34, move to the stacking mechanism 22 wherein the books are stacked as above'explained. The books in stacked condition then move to a position in which each stack is engaged by a set of the lugs I25 on the chains IOI which operate at a speed much slower than the belts 33 and 34, advancing the stacks to a position in which they are first engaged by the pusher lugs I29 to move them against the stops I68, in which position they are operated on by the knives I59, I60 and SI, and the-n engaged by the pusher lugs I30 to move them against the stops I 8| in which position they are operated on by the knife I65. Following this last referred to operation the rollers 209 lower to feed the books to a position in which they extend between the conveyor belts 200 and 204.

As will be understood, the stops I68 and I8I must be in lowered position, in which they do not obstruct the feeding beyond them of the stacks of books, during the initial operation of the pusher lugs I29 and I30 toward these stops but must be projected upwardly to book-stopping position before the back (folded) edges of the books, viz., the leading edges of the books, in being advanced by the pusher lugs I29 and I30, during the final movement of these lugs toward these stops, reach the locations of these stops. This is provided for in the machine shown, it being noted that whereas the cam surfaces of the cams I 49 and I80 occupy the same positions relative to their cooperating rollers, the cam I49 is set in an advanced angular position about the shaft 95 and thus operates to lift the bars I26 and I28 and initiatethe advancing of the pusher lugs .I29 and I30 before the stops I68 and I8I rise to stop-position.

Should the books of any stack thereof be out of perfect registration in moving into engage- .ment with the stops they will become perfectly registered when moved against them by the mechanism described, and thus each book of each stack will be cut and trimmed uniformly and to the proper size.

While I have illustrated and described a particular construction of machine for practicing my novel method and have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the method may be practiced by the use of other forms of structure and the particular machine shown may be variously modified and altered, and the invention embodied in other forms of structure, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. .The method offeeding articles from one mechanism which operates-to rapidly perform work on the articles to another mechanism which relatively slowly performs its work on the articles, which consists in feeding the articles from the first-referred-to mechanism singly, in succes-- 2.. The method of feeding articles from one 60 mechanism which operates to rap-idly perform work on the articles to another mechanism which relativelyslowly performs its work on they articles, which consist-s in feeding the articles from the first-referred-to mechanism singly, in succession, associating certain of the articles with others thereof, while continuing the movement of the articles, to form stacks and feeding the articles in stacked condition at a reduced rate of speed to the second-referred-to mechanism.

3; The method of feeding articles from one mechanism which operates to rapidly perform work on the articles toanother mechanism which relatively slowly performs its work on the articles,

which, consists in feeding the articles from the 'first-referred-to mechanism singly, in succesrsion, associating certain of the articles with oth-. ers thereof succeeding them to form stacks and feeding the articles in stacked condition at a reduced rate of speed to the second-referred-to mechanism.

4. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means for associating certain of the articles with others thereof to form stacks, and means for feeding the stacked articles away from said stacking means operative to cause the rate of delivery of the stacked articles to a predetermined location to be less than the rate of delivery of the articles by said first-named means to said stacking means.

5. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means for associating certain of the articles with the next succeeding articles fed by said first-named means, to form stacks, and means for feeding the stacked articles away from said stacking means operative to cause the rate of delivery of the stacked articles to a predetermined location to be less than the rate of delivery of the articles by said first-named means to said stacking means.

6. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising rotary mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver articles fed by said firstnamed means, to others of the articles fed by said first-named means, to form stacks, automatically operating means for delivering to said rotary mechanism the articles to be delivered by said rotary ,mechanism, and means to deliver the articles from said stacking means at a slower rate of speed than the rate of speed at which they are delivered to the stacking means.

7. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising rotary mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver articles fed by said firstnamed means to others of the articles fed by said first-named means, to form stacks, automatically -op'erating means for delivering to said rotary mechanism alternate ones of the articles fed by said first-named means, and means to deliver the articles from said stacking means at a slower rate of speed than the rate of speed at which they are delivered to the stacking means.

8, In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising a rotatable element, a belt extending part way around said element and cooperating with said element for conveying around said element articles fed by said first-named means and introduced between said element and belt and delivering them to articles on said first-named means, automatically operating means for delivering to said element the articles to be delivered by said stacking means, and means to deliver the articles from said stacking means at a slower rate of speed than the rate of speed at which they are delivered to the stacking means.

9. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising a rotatable element, a belt extending part way around said element and cooperating with said element for conveying around said element articles fed by said first-named means and introduced between said element and belt and delivering t em to articles on said first-named means, and reciprocatory means operating to deliver to said element the articles to be delivered by said stacking means.

10. In combination with means for continuously feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising rotary mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver articles fed by said first-named means to others of the articles fed by said first-named means, to form stacks, automatically operating means for delivering to said rotary mechanism the articles to be delivered by said rotary mechanism, and means to deliver the articles from said stacking means at a slower rate of speed than the .rate of speed at which they are delivered to the stacking means,

11. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising rotary mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver articles fed thereto by said first-named means to others of the articles fed by said first-named means, to form stacks, automatically operating means for delivering from said first-named means to said rotary mechanism the articles to be delivered by said rotary mechanism, and means to deliver the articles from said stacking means at a slower rate of speed than the rate of speed at which they are delivered to the stacking means.

12. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means for associating certain of the articles with others thereof, to form stacks, means for feeding the stacked articles, and stop means against which the stacks of articles are fed by said third-named means, operative to insure the registration of the articles in each stack.

13. In combination with means for feeding articles singly, in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising a structure supported to be swung lengthwise of, and relative to said first-named means, means limiting the movement of said structure toward said first-named means, rotary mechanism on said structure constructed and arranged to deliver articles fed by said first-named means to others of the articles fed by said firstnamed means, and means operating to deliver to said rotary mechanism the articles to be delivered by said rotary mechanism.

14. The method of stacking articles while being conveyed singly, in succession, which comprises upwardly displacing selected ones of the articles and superposing them upon others of the articles to form stacks, and continuing the feeding of the articles in stacks at a slower speed than that at which they are conveyed singly.

15. In combination with means for feeding articles singly in a successive arrangement, through a predetermined path, stacking means comprising rotary mechanism constructed and arranged to deliver articles fed by said firstnamed means, into superposed position on others of the articles fed by said first-named means, means for feeding the resulting stacks at a reduced rate of speed, and means operating to deliver to said rotary mechanism the articles to be delivered by said rotary mechanism.

16. The method of stacking articles while being conveyed singly, in succession, which comprises displacing selected certain ones only of the articles and associating them with others of the articles to form stacks, and continuing the feeding of the articles in stacks at a reduced rate of speed.

17. The method of stacking articles while being conveyed, in succession, which comprises displacing selected certain ones only of the articles and associating them with succeeding ones of the articles to form stacks, and continuing the feeding of the articles in stacks at a reduced rate of speed.

18. The method of stacking articles while being conveyed singly, in succession, which com prises displacing selected certain ones only of the articles and associating them with the next succeeding ones of the articles to form stacks, and continuing the feeding of the articles in stacks at a reduced rate of speed.

19. The method of stacking articles while being conveyed singly, in succession, which comprises displacing selected ones of the articles and moving them in a substantially endless path to a position in which they become associated with others of the articles to form stacks, and con-' tinuing the feeding of the articles in stacks at a reduced rate of speed.

20. The method of stacking articles while being conveyed singly, in succession, which comprises displacing selected ones of the articles and moving them while continuing the movement of the articles in a substantially endless path to a position in which they become associatedwith others of the articles to form stacks, and continuing the feeding of the articles in stacks at a reduced rate of speed.

21. The method of feeding articles from one mechanism which performs work on the articles to another mechanism which performs work on the articles at a lesser capacity, which consists in feeding the articles from one mechanism to the other mechanism while reducing the rate of feed of the articles to accord with the capacity of the last mentioned mechanism, said feeding including stacking of the articles from a singly and successively fed condition.

ROBERT D. EASTON. 

